Lovable Rogue
by Proud to be special
Summary: Christmas morning, Officer John Blake, fresh out the academy, visits his parent's graves. There he meets a mysterious young woman who understands some of his pain. But who is she really and what will they become to each other? John Blake/OC. Set before, during and after the Dark Knight Rises.
1. Prologue- Outlaw and Rogue

**After watching Chris Nolan's Batman trilogy (Finally) I decided to write this fan fiction. Hope you enjoy.**

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Prologue

_Midnight, a deserted alley on the outskirts of Gotham_

A cloud passed over the full moon. When it had shifted the alley was no longer deserted. Atop one of the buildings two figures crouched. Hooded, cloaked and masked. The man was dressed in red with blue padded armour. His cape, hood and utility belt were also blue and his mask red. On his feet he wore black combat boots. His companion was female. Her armour, mask and belt were black, the rest of her outfit was brown and she too wore black combat boots on her feet.  
As they watched a boy, probably about 16 or 17 years old, stumbled into the alley. His jeans were ripped and his hands bloody. A moment later three older boys, about twenty years old, swaggered into the alleyway. 'What's the matter Blake?' One of them yelled. 'Are you scared? Are you running home to mommy?'  
The others laughed. 'He can't do that, can he?' Another taunted. 'Because he doesn't have one, do you Blakey?'  
The third boy shoved the younger one down. 'And why's that Blake? Why don't you have any parents?' The young boy muttered something. 'I didn't catch that Blake.'  
'Because they're dead!' Blake shouted.  
'That's right Blake.' The first boy lifted his foot to kick Blake in the mouth, but didn't get the chance.

He was knocked back as the cloaked man jumped down from the top of building onto his shoulders. 'Why don't you pick on someone your own size?' He said in a low voice.  
'What, someone like you?' The boy flicked a knife out from his sleeve.  
Blake shuffled backwards, until someone grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. It was the cloaked girl. 'Stay out the way.' She ordered her voice low too.  
All three boys had knives out now and were advancing on the man. The girl lunged forward and grabbed one of them by the shoulders, throwing him into the alley wall. The other two jumped on the man. The boy the girl had thrown into the wall scrambled to his feet and lunged for her, seizing the back of her cape. She swung her right leg around and kicked him in the legs, sending him to the floor again, where he lay, groaning.  
The man had caught one of the other boys with a vicious right hook and now elbowed the final of the gang in the face. He pulled some wire from his belt and tied each of their hands behind their back, before crouching in front of the first boy who had pulled out a knife. 'Who are you?' The boy spat.  
'What this city needs.' The man replied, his voice steely. 'An Outlaw and a Rogue. Stay out of our way and out of crime and we won't meet again.' He rose to his feet, before turning to Blake. 'Get out of here, kid. And stay out of trouble.' Blake turned and bolted from the alley. The girl, Rogue, looked up at the man. 'We need to leave before the cops get here.' She pointed out. Outlaw nodded, casting one last glance at the gang before both disappeared into the shadows.

Six blocks away two shadows slipped into an apartment building and up to the twelfth floor and into the second apartment. Once the door was secure and the blinds drawn Outlaw lowered his hood and removed his mask. Rogue did the same, revealing a young girl, fifteen years old, with shoulder-length auburn hair and hazel eyes. The man had the same eyes as her and short grey-blond hair. He ruffled the girl's hair. 'You ok?'  
'Yeah, I'm fine dad. He only got my cape.'  
Her father kissed the top of her head. 'Go to bed, I won't be here when you wake up.'  
'Why?'  
Her father sighed. 'Ashlynn, I have to go to the courts again. Your mother is fighting for custody.'  
'You have got to be kidding me.' Ashlynn muttered. Her parents had divorced three years earlier, and while her mother took her brother and sister, Ashlynn went to live with her father, and her mother had been fighting for custody ever since.  
She started to head down the hall, until her father's voice stopped her. 'And Ashlynn, I won't let them take you, I promise.'  
Ash smiled. 'I know dad.'

The next morning Ash was awoken by the doorbell. Glancing at the clock she saw that it was 10.45. She groaned and rolled out of bed, grabbing her dressing gown on her way to the door. Her eyes widened in surprise at the man at the door. 'Mr Fox. Please come in.' Lucius Fox was an old work colleague of her father. They had worked together in Wayne Industries until their department was 'shut down'. Now he supplied the pair with equipment.  
'Good morning Ashlynn, late night?' He asked indicating her pyjamas, Ashlynn just grinned. 'Is your father here?'  
Ash shook her head. 'Sorry but no, he's at the courts, battling my mother again.'  
'Ah, don't worry Ashlynn, he won't let you go. Anyway, I have the things your father requested.' He placed a briefcase on the table and popped the lid open. Inside was assortment of equipment, but the one thing that caught Ashlynn's eye were the knives. They were about the length of her hand, with wickedly sharp edges. She picked one up and weighed it in her hand. Suddenly she spun and threw the knife across the room. It sailed through the arm and hit the dartboard, dead centre. Fox chuckled. 'Very nice.'  
'I think father will approve.'  
'I'm sure he will.' Fox shut the briefcase again. 'If you could get your father to call when he returns, I would be grateful.'  
'Of course Mr Fox.' Ashlynn replied, showing him to the door.  
'And Ashlynn, you take care now.' Ashlynn grinned as the man left, and turned to the bathroom to take a shower.

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**Please review.**


	2. Chapter 1- 5 Years Later

**I hope you enjoy this.**

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Chapter 1- 5 years later

Ashlynn scuffed the snow with her boots as she made her way down the streets of Gotham. Her hands were shoved deep in her pockets and her hood was up. The metal gate to the cemetery creaked slightly as she pushed it open. Her feet sank into the untouched snow as she approached a grave beneath an old oak tree. She ran her gloved fingers over the words engraved on the cold stone.  
_Brian Dyers 1964-2008  
A gentle man and laving father  
'Outlaws are societies greatest heroes'  
_'I'll make you proud dad, even if I don't carry on what you started.' Tears trickled their way down her cheeks as she sank down onto her knees, snow seeping through the knees of her jeans, unaware that she was being watched.

John whispered a quiet goodbye to his parent's graves as he made his way to the entrance to the cemetery. It was Christmas morning 2010 and without any family to spend it with he often went to the cemetery. At the gate he cast a glance back at the cemetery and caught sight of a figure in front of a grave under the old oak. He slowly made his way towards her. It was not the first time he had seen her. For the past two Christmases he had seen her at the grave, but he had never spoken to her. He had also seen her a few other times during the year.  
As he watched she ran her fingers over the grave, before sinking to her knees, despite only wearing jeans. He waited a moment before approaching her. Even though he did not know her, he did not want her getting hypothermia. He crouched down next to her. 'You're going to freeze.' He murmured.  
'I don't care.' She muttered back.  
'Well I do.' John replied.  
'Why? You don't know me.' She looked up at him, auburn hair framing her face, which was stained with tears.  
'Does it matter why I care? There must be others who care too.'  
'No, there's not.'  
'I'm sure that's a lie. Come on.' John pulled the girl to her feet. She was shivering badly.  
'Why are you helping me?' She asked through chattering teeth.  
'I'm a cop, it's my job. Now let me take you home.'

Ashlynn tried to pull away. 'No, I'm fine.'  
'No, you're not.' John protested, disagreeing. 'You're shivering.'  
The girl shrugged. 'Like I said, I don't care.'  
'And like _I_ said, I do. Now let me take you home.'  
Ashlynn sighed. 'You're not gonna let this go are you?'  
'Nope.' John replied.  
'Fine.' Ashlynn finally gave in.  
'I'm Officer John Blake, by the way.'  
'Ashlynn Dyers.'  
'Why do you say no one cares?' John asked curiously as they reached his car.  
'Because no one does. My dad died two and a half years ago and ever since I became of age my mom just ignored me.'  
'And you have no other family?' John switched the engine on and turned the heater up.  
'Mom and Dad were only children and my mom raised my brother and sister to act like her. My parents were divorced and they lived with her and I lived with my dad. Mom tried to fight for custody, but only for the money she would get for having all three of us. I refused, I was always more like dad.'

John turned out of Cemetery Road and onto Gotham's main street. 'Where do you live?'  
'The Sterling Apartment Blocks.' John let out a light chuckle. 'What's funny?'  
'Nothing, It's just that I live in those apartment blocks too.'  
'Really?'  
'Yeah, weird huh?'  
'Yeah, or coincidence.' Ashlynn snorted.  
The pair fell into a comfortable silence until they reached the apartments. 'What floor are you on?' John asked.  
'Twelfth, apartment two, my dad left me his apartment in his will. You?'  
'Fifteenth, apartment ten. If you ever need to talk or anything, I'll be there, if not drop a note in and I'll get back to you.'  
'Thanks, but I think I'll be okay.'  
'The offer still stands.' Ashlynn nodded at him as they got out the car.

Back in her apartment, once showered, Ashlynn pulled a suitcase out from under her bed and opened it. She searched through it until she found the newspaper article she was looking for.  
_MYSTERIOUS VIGILANTES SAVE ORPHAN'S LIFE!  
__Gotham's new vigilantes, calling themselves Outlaw and Rogue, have come to the rescue of a young orphan. Sixteen-year-old John Blake, from St Swithin's boys home, was walking through Gotham late last night when he was attacked by three youths. Luckily for him, help was at hand when Outlaw and Rogue jumped to his aid.  
_Ashlynn sat back on heels and stared at the photograph that accompanied the article. 'I don't believe it.' She muttered. The John Blake who had saved her that day was the same one she and her father had saved five years earlier. She glanced over at the photograph of her father on her bedside table. 'Are you trying to tell me something?' She asked the picture.

Ashlynn sat on her bedroom floor for a while longer, until John's words came back to her. _ If you ever need to talk or anything, I'll be there. _She glanced at the clock, it was only 12.45. She groaned and got to her feet, just as the doorbell rang. Opening the door, she was surprised to see John there. 'Hey?' She said shyly. 'What brings you here?'  
'Hi, it's just, I was wondering, I go to St Swithin's every Christmas for lunch, it's where I grew up. I was wondering if you wanted to come, you know, so you don't have to spend Christmas alone.'  
Ashlynn regarded him with curious eyes for a moment before speaking. 'Thank you, I'd like that.' She quickly pulled her boots on and grabbed her coat and keys.  
Together they made their way out of the apartment block, out into the snowy Christmas day. 'You okay with walking?' John asked. Ashlynn nodded. 'If you don't mind me asking, don't you have a boyfriend or anything to spend Christmas with?'  
Ashlynn snorted. 'I did, until three weeks ago.'  
'What happened?'  
Ashlynn scoffed. 'He ran off with my best friend, literally. I got a call from saying that we were through. He also told me that he had been seeing her behind my back for months.'  
'I'm sorry.' John couldn't think of anything else to say.  
'You didn't know, and I knew I shouldn't have trusted Ryan.' Ashlynn shrugged. 'What about, are you seeing anyone?'  
'No, haven't met anyone, yet. I guess being an orphan doesn't always help my cause. My mom died when I was very young. My father was murdered when I was nine.' He took a deep breath. 'It was horrible.'  
'My dad was murdered too.' Ashlynn said gently.

'Father Reilly, this is Ashlynn, my neighbour. I hope you don't mind that I invited her along.'  
'You know what I say John, the more, the merrier. It's nice to meet you Ashlynn.'  
'You too, Father Reilly.'  
'The kids are all in the living room.'  
'Thanks Father, come on Ashlynn, the kids will love to meet you.'  
Ashlynn followed John through the house until they reached the large main room. About 30 boys aged from around 3 to 16 were gathered there, some playing video games, some playing card or board games. 'John!' A few of them exclaimed.  
'Hey, boys.' John replied. A couple of the younger boys ran over and hugged John's legs.  
Ashlynn felt a tugging on her left leg. A little boy of about 5 was looking up at her with wide eyes. She crouched down to his level. 'Are you an angel?'  
'An angel?'  
' My mama told me that angels look after people who need someone. Are you John's angel?'  
Ashlynn looked up to where John was playing Ping-Pong with some of the other boys. 'No, he's mine.' John looked around at that moment, their eyes locking. He smiled her, and she gave him her first proper smile in nearly three years.

When Father Reilly called lunch the little boy, who Ashlynn had learned was called Alfie, made it clear that he wouldn't sit anywhere except next to Ashlynn. She, in turn, had warmed up to the lad. The conversations at lunch revolved around John's work as a cop, what the boys had been up to over the last few weeks and what some of the older boys were planning to do when they left the home. Ashlynn quickly discovered that John was something of a hero to these boys. He was an orphan like them, but he had gone on to leave the home and patrol the streets that many of them feared.  
'So what do you do Ashlynn?' Father Reilly asked.  
Ashlynn chuckled. 'Nothing as exciting as John. I'm a mechanic.'  
'But that's a boy's job!' One of the boys piped up.  
'Mark!'  
'No, it's okay. As far as I'm aware, I'm the only female mechanic in Gotham. My dad started teaching me about engines when I was five. He was the one who taught me how to drive and ride a motorbike.'

Snow was falling heavily when John and Ashlynn left St Swithin's. Alfie had made Ashlynn promise that she would return to visit him. 'They love you.' John said as they made their way down the street.  
'Huh?'  
'The boys, they love you.'  
Ashlynn smiled shyly and shrugged. 'I've always found kids so innocent, so pure. I miss being like that, not having a care in the world.'  
'It won't last long.' John pointed out.  
'I know, and I feel sorry for them.'  
'They all have to grow up sometime.'  
'When I was younger I couldn't wait to grow up. Now that I'm older, I wish I was a child again.' Ashlynn explained.  
'A lot of people think like that.' John replied.

'When can I see you again?' John's question surprised Ashlynn.  
'I don't know. Whenever we're both free I guess. You live three floors above me, it's not exactly difficult.'  
'I've lived there for a year and never seen you here before today.'  
Ashlynn shrugged. 'I keep to myself.'  
'I noticed. So when are you free?'  
'I don't go back to work until the New Year.' Ashlynn said.  
'What about Tuesday?' John suggested. 'I'll pick you up at seven?'  
'Where are we going?' Ashlynn asked.  
John shrugged. 'Out for dinner.'  
Ashlynn folded her arms. 'Are you asking me out on a date?' She asked.  
'Maybe.' John grinned, and then he was gone.  
Ashlynn shook her head, chuckling to herself, and let herself into her apartment. This had been one unusual Christmas Day for her.


End file.
